Local Business• Page 11 of 22 • Our Town America, Inc.

Local Businesses Meet Consumer Needs During Coronavirus | KTVU San Francisco

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Local Business San Francisco

KTVU San Francisco Live — Our Town America of San Francisco owner, Suzi Dupries, says that local businesses are open and ready to serve their community during the Coronavirus pandemic. Small businesses continue to meet consumer’s shopping needs by implementing new ways of delivering goods and services. Dupries’ partnered local businesses have also transitioned during this time, one example of this is contactless ordering and delivery. Consumers can order products from their favorite local businesses over the phone or online and have their products delivered to them without breaking social distancing rules. Dupries stresses the importance of shopping local during this time, here are some small business facts to consider: Small businesses account for 99.7% of all businesses in the U.S. For every dollar spent at a small business, approximately $0.67 stay in the community. Our Town America wants small business owners, as well as consumers, impacted by COVID-19 to know they aren’t in this alone. Watch the full KTVU San Francisco clip below. — Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local San Francisco-area business looking for a way to reach out to new or current customers, reach out to Suzi Dupries at 415-755-4574 or dupries.suzi@ourtown.net If your business is located outside the San Francisco area, you can reach Our Town America headquarters at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Local Businesses Adjust their Services due to Coronavirus | KQCA Sacramento

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

local businesses sacramento

KQCA Sacramento Live (April 2020) – During the Coronavirus pandemic, local businesses must come up with creative ways to stay open and safely serve the public. Dave Frisch, owner of Our Town America of Greater Sacramento, discusses the ways that local businesses have implemented new service methods including curbside or contactless delivery, virtual appointments, or at-home workouts in order to safely reach consumers. Frisch’s partnered sponsor business, Pizza Guys, has incorporated these new methods by offering contactless delivery. Consumers can simply call in an order and it will be delivered in a protective bag on their doorstep, consumers will then be notified about their delivery through a text or knock on the door. Pizza Guy, along with other local businesses, is offering deals during this time to ensure that consumers are getting the most bang for their buck. Street Tech Auto Care has also adjusted their services during this time. By staggering appointments and taking extra sanitary precautions, they continue to serve their community and keep their customers safe. Frisch encourages consumers to shop locally whenever possible. Some small business facts to consider: The economy of Sacramento, CA employs 240k people About half of the state’s private-sector employees are employed by small businesses in California For every dollar spent at a small business, approximately 67 cents stay in the local community Our Town America wants small business owners, as well as consumers, impacted by COVID-19 to know they aren’t in this alone. Watch the full KQCA Sacramento clip below. — Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local Sacramento-area business looking for a way to reach out to new or current customers, reach out to Dave Frisch at 916-474-1494 or dfrisch@ourtown.net. If your business is located outside of the Sacramento area, you can reach the Our Town America headquarters at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Buy Local while Following Coronavirus Social Distancing Rules | Raleigh, NC

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Buy Local while Following Coronavirus Social Distancing Rules Raleigh Local Business Our Town America

WRAZ Raleigh Live (April 2020) – Sally Hanson of Our Town America of the Triangle based in Raleigh, NC, shares ways in which consumers can help support their local economy while still following Coronavirus social distancing rules. Hanson’s partnered local businesses are doing what they can to stay open during this time – curbside pickup, delivery, etc. She urges consumers to tip essential workers if able to help keep local businesses afloat through the global COVID-19 pandemic. “These essential workers are the backbone of our community right now,” Hanson points out. “You can go online, find out which businesses are open – we have fitness facilities that had to close, but they’re now offering online services. You can donate to these businesses,” Hanson says. “As a company, we’re actually mailing out postcards for these businesses letting people know that they’re still open for business. They need your business, so please come on in, but keep with the social distancing and keep safe, of course,” she urges. Some small business facts to consider: For every dollar spent at a small business, approximately $0.67 stay in the community. 28.8 million small businesses in the U.S. Small businesses account for 99.7% of all businesses in the U.S. Our Town America wants small business owners, as well as consumers, impacted by COVID-19 to know they aren’t in this alone. Watch full WRAZ Raleigh clip below. — Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local Raleigh-area business looking for a way to reach out to new or current customers, reach out to Sally Hanson. If your business is located outside of the Raleigh area, you can reach the Our Town America headquarters at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

How to Support your Local Economy during the Coronavirus Pandemic | Denver, CO

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Support Local Economy during Coronavirus Pandemic

KUSA Denver (April 2020) – Unfortunately, Coronavirus (COVID-19) has made it’s mark on the US, but small business owner, Kurt North of Our Town America Northern Colorado, shares how partnered local businesses are supporting the economy during this global pandemic. North encourages consumers to shop virtually or over the phone – using delivery & drive-up methods. Houska Automotive, a local Fort Collins business who reaches out to new residents year-round through North’s New Mover Welcoming Program, is following all WHO and CDC recommendations in order to continue serving their community. “Automotive repair is necessary and needed, especially for those who are working diligently at hospitals, grocery stores, etc.,” says owner L.J. Houska. His shop is offering free pick-up & delivery from the customers’ homes, curbside check-in at the shop & even overnight envelopes in order to remain contactless and avoid human interaction. “We’re so grateful for our customers and want them to know that we’re here for them in the case of automotive issues,” Houska says. North encourages consumers to shop using delivery & drive-up methods at other local businesses as well. Some small business facts to consider: 97.6% of businesses in Colorado are small businesses. (Colorado SBDC) Colorado small businesses employ 1 million people. (Colorado SBDC) 97.6% of businesses in Colorado are small businesses, with over 572,546 in total. (SBA) “Other than Automotive Repair Shops, I’m also partnered with liquor stores & restaurants who are doing curbside & delivery,” North says. “Help your neighbor – even if we have to be physically distant – that doesn’t mean we have to be completely alone. We’re all in this together”. Our Town America wants small business owners, as well as consumers, impacted by COVID-19 to know they aren’t in this alone. Watch full KUSA News Clip below. — Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you are a small/ local business looking for a way to reach out to new or current customers, visit ourtownamerica.com. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Support Small Businesses during the Coronavirus Pandemic | Phoenix, AZ

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Support Small Business Community Help during Coronavirus

KTVK Phoenix – Coronavirus (COVID-19) has already made an undeniable impact on the US, so small business owner of Our Town America Phoenix, David Cox, wants to urge consumers to shop local to support the local economy before its too late – whether virtually with delivery or using take-out/drive-up methods. Despite social distancing and restrictions, local businesses are open and need our support. For every dollar spent at a small business, approximately 67 cents stay in the local community, so spending local can be a game changer in keeping businesses afloat during what could be an economically crippling crisis. “Whether we spend online or curbside, we need to keep our dollars in our community, so our favorite shops, restaurants and service providers and their employees and families survive,” says Michael Plummer, Our Town America’s President and Founder of the ‘Shop Local Now’ Movement. “We are leading the charge to remind folks that even though our local mom and pops have new ways to deliver products and services, they’re still alive and kicking and need us to make it through this pandemic. Instead of ordering on Amazon, I urge everyone to buy locally –while following health and safety guidelines,” Cox says. Watch full KTVK News Clip below. — Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you are a small/ local business looking for a way to reach out to new or current customers, visit ourtownamerica.com. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Local Businesses Rally to Meet Community Needs During the Coronavirus

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Think Big Shop Small at Local Businesses during Coronavirus

Yahoo Finance/ PRWeb — As Americans across the country self-quarantine to minimize the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), local small business owners are rallying to serve their communities. They’re doing their part to protect the health and safety of their employees and customers while remaining available to provide products and services people need. In this time of uncertainty, Our Town America, a national new mover marketing franchise that helps local businesses create and maintain relationships with customers, salutes these business owners and wants to remind all Americans that it’s more important than ever to shop local – whether virtually, curbside or online – and support businesses that are the backbone of the local economy. “As a consumer, when you purchase from a mom and pop – such as your neighborhood coffee shop – you’re helping pay the barista you chat with every morning,” said Michael Plummer, Our Town America’s President. “You’re helping put food on their children’s plate and helping fulfill their young daughter’s dream of going to college. You are keeping your local community alive and thriving.” Our Town America franchise owners are small business owners themselves, so they understand the importance of shopping local and the direct effects it has on a business and its employees – especially during a time like this. “As Americans, we’re tough and resilient, especially in times of crisis,” said Plummer. “The Coronavirus is real and scary, but it’s not permanent, and we will get through this. In addition to self-quarantining to stop the virus’ spread, we ask all Americans to continue buying local to help small business owners and the employees who depend on them.” There are countless examples of businesses that have adjusted on the fly to continue serving the public while doing everything possible to practice social distancing. These include, but are not limited to: Restaurants offering curbside service and delivery drops at front doors Doctors and veterinarians offering virtual appointments while remaining on call to treat more serious conditions in person Gyms and trainers sharing home-based cardio and strength workouts Commercial and residential cleaning companies working around the clock to disinfect buildings using EPA/CDC recommended products specific to Coronavirus Grocery stores and hotels operated by employees wearing gloves who are making it as safe as possible to access necessary food and accommodations “The method of delivery may be different – from curbside service to virtual appointments – but it’s imperative to support the small businesses doing everything they can to continue serving their local community,” said Plummer. “There are more than 28 million small businesses in the country and all of them could use a little love during this tough time. Please do everything you can to support local businesses so they can keep their employees and continue serving the community you call home.” For more information on Our Town America, please visit https://www.ourtownamerica.com/. For more information on the Our Town America franchise opportunity, please visit https://www.newmoverfranchise.com/. —— About Our Town America For over 48 years, Our Town America has been providing new movers with traditional hospitality by mailing warm housewarming gifts from local neighborhood businesses in a premium welcome package. Since the company started franchising in 2005, Our Town America has consistently been placed in the Franchise Top 50, ranking top in their category for franchisee satisfaction. Our Town America’s dedication to the “sponsor exclusivity” concept, meaning Our Town America will only recommend one of each business type in any specific zip code within its welcome packages, has been one of the key catalysts for the company’s long-term success. In addition, sponsors consistently rave about other unique aspects of the new mover marketing program – such as their ability to reach a brand-new audience of impressionable new movers each month and the insightful data/metrics delivered by Our Town America’s innovative pinpoint tracking system. Due in large part to Our Town America’s devotion to those concepts, thousands of satisfied business owners throughout the United States attest to the success and effectiveness of the program. Additionally, dozens of locally owned franchisees validate Our Town America’s concept as a viable business opportunity. It is Our Town America’s mission to assist new movers adjusting to their community, help businesses gain new and loyal customers and provide franchisees with an excellent opportunity. The eight million households who receive Our Town America’s welcome packages each year prove that Our Town America is committed to following through on that mission statement. For more information, visit the Our Town America website at https://www.ourtownamerica.com or call 1-800-497-8360. Media Contacts: Graham Chapman Brittany Johnson 919-459-8157 800-497-8360 x229 gchapman@919marketing.com bjohnson@ourtownamerica.com Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Dentists Build a Sustainable Dental Practice via New Mover Marketing

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

New Mover Marketing by Our Town America for Dentists

Dentistry Today — It’s both a sad and happy fact for every dentist, business owner, patient, and person, for that matter—everything changes eventually. Right now, your dental practice may be thriving, with patients booked for months. Maybe you’re expanding and having trouble keeping up. You might even wake up every morning feeling like you’ve won the dental practice lottery. But realistically, it won’t last forever. It’s completely normal for every business to go through highs and lows. The same goes if your practice is tanking. If the patient chairs are often empty, and your slots aren’t booked, you shouldn’t despair. Things can always get better, and they probably will. Everything changes. The key is to be proactive in your approach to making the good times last for as long as possible. A steady system for attracting and retaining new patients can make a once empty dental practice full again and thriving for years to come. Even if your practice is doing great right now, don’t get complacent. For a multitude of reasons—moving away, change of insurance, even death—you may see a drop in your patient count. Whether business is up or down, you always need to be thinking of ways to bring in new customers to sustain your practice. New Mover Marketing Constant change is why I encourage dentists to actively engage in new mover marketing, regardless of their practice’s current state. Our Town America, the franchise founded by my late father, targets new movers by direct mail and has a proven business model that specializes in attracting and keeping new customers. In today’s digital age, you may scoff at the idea of direct mail. But time and time again, it’s proven to attract new movers to local businesses. When a family moves into a new neighborhood, they likely don’t know where anything is—the dry cleaner, gym, grocery store, pizza joint, and, yes, dentist’s office. The first few pieces of mail can actually be exciting for new movers. It’s a sign that you’ve arrived. You really live here. Meanwhile, email advertisements, more often than not, go directly to a spam folder without even being seen by the intended recipient. New mover direct mail marketing is the perfect way to let potential patients know where your offices are located. New movers want to know which local businesses are nearby. New movers are looking to establish new “regular” spots and basic necessities, including a dentist. By getting your name in front of those new residents so quickly, you are likely beating out your competition and appealing to a portion of the population who are actively looking for a new dentist. New movers truly are an ideal demographic to target with your marketing efforts. Paying Attention to Potential Patients Pays Off When you send a mailing to potential patients, you can increase the odds of them coming in for a checkup. This is true even more so if you give them an incentive, such as a gift certificate for your services or a small gift. You can be creative as long as the offer is appealing. We encourage you to think beyond a measly 10% off coupon. The better the offer, the more likely a new customer is to give you a chance. By appealing to new movers through direct mail, you’ll earn a reputation as a local business who cares. Your offer will come as a part of a bigger welcome package. Your practice may be featured alongside a beloved pizza joint, a favorite hairstylist, a florist shop that locals love, a respected autobody repair shop, and more. And, of course, when you’re appealing to a new set of new movers every month, not just once, that’s when you begin to have a sustainable practice. A constant influx of new patients means a steady stream of revenue for your practice. Just don’t forget to offer quality services to go along with your stellar offer. After all, the key to keeping patients coming back is a great experience, and perhaps even a followup offer to say thank you for stopping by. Marketing isn’t all that different from taking care of your teeth, really. If you want good results, you must be invested and in it for the long run. Over time, investing in marketing will pay off. Just whatever you do, don’t ignore new movers. If you do, you may walk into your dental practice one day and realize it’s not your patients’ teeth decaying, but rather your patient roster. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Our Town America Awards $10,000 to New Movers

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Golden Certificate by Our Town America Check Mailbox Small Business Saturday

PRWeb – New movers across America could win a thousand dollars just by opening their mail. In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Small Business Saturday, Our Town America, the nation’s premier New Mover Marketing franchise, will award 10 certificates of $1,000 each in 10 different cities from coast-to-coast. To win one of these $1,000 “Golden Certificate Giveaway” prizes, new residents in these cities simply must tear open their personalized Our Town America new mover welcome package and call up to claim the money. They’ll receive a check they can spend anywhere, though they’re encouraged to support local businesses during the holiday season. “With this ‘Golden Certificate Giveaway,’ we welcome new movers to our communities across America while encouraging them to buy at local businesses,” says Our Town America’s CEO Michael Plummer, Jr. “Our goal is to help small businesses flourish because these mom-and-pop shops are the backbone of our economy. This holiday season, we ask new movers to learn about their local retailers. Drop in, say ‘hello,’ and spend money with the businesses located right in their own neighborhoods. It’s a win-win for all and a celebration of everything ‘local’ this holiday season.” Here’s how the “Golden Certificate Giveaway” works. In the coming weeks, Our Town America will mail out their December 2019New Mover Welcome Packages full of valuable local business offers. These one-time housewarming certificates give new movers deals at local restaurants, dental offices, gyms and other businesses. For ten lucky winners, a golden certificate of $1,000 will be included alongside the other offers. All each winner needs to do toclaim their prize is call the Our Town America phone number printed on the Golden Certificate. Once claimed over the phone, each winner will be awarded a check for the money as part of a local ceremony during the holiday season. Winners have until January 16 to claim their prize. Our Town America launched the “Golden Certificate Giveaway” because even though things are looking up for retailers this holiday shopping season (The National Retail Federation predicts 2019 November and December in–store retail sales to increase between 3.8%-4.2% over sales in 2018), generating in-store traffic throughout the year remains difficult and many retailers simply struggle to “hang on” until the holidays. Plummer hopes the “Golden Certificate Giveaway” will inspire thousands of new movers to support local retailers, even if they don’t win one of the big prizes. “We support Small Business Saturday year-round at Our Town America,” says Plummer. “Each Welcome Package we deliver represents a new opportunity for a new resident to build long-term, loyal relationships with local business owners offering the goods and services they need. We hope the ‘Golden Certificate Giveaway’ inspires more new movers than ever to open their Welcome Package, take advantage of the offers, and build relationships with some of the best small business owners in their backyard.” For more information about Our Town America and the “Golden Certificate Giveaway” please visit https://www.ourtownamerica.com or call 1-800-497-8360. ### About Our Town America For 47 years, Our Town America has been providing new residents with warm housewarming savings, from local neighborhood businesses, in a premium welcome package. Since the company began franchising in 2005, Our Town America has consistently been placed in the Franchise Top 50, ranking top in their category for franchisee satisfaction. Our Town America will only recommend one of each business type, in a specific zip code, in its Welcome Package. This has been one of the key catalysts for their long-term success. Sponsors consistently rave about the uniqueness of the New Mover Marketing Program — specifically their ability to reach a brand-new audience of impressionable new residents each month. Because of Our Town America’s devotion to those concepts, thousands of satisfied business owners attest to the success and effectiveness of the program. Additionally, dozens of locally owned franchisees validate Our Town America’s concept as a viable business opportunity. Our Town America’s mission is to help families and individuals adjust to their new community, while helping businesses gain new and loyal customers. In addition, they strive to provide franchisees with an excellent business opportunity. The eight million households who receive Our Town America’s welcome packages annually prove that Our Town America is committed to following through on their mission. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

5 Things You Should Do To Create a Fantastic Work Culture

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Our Town America Work Culture

Authority Magazine (October 2019) — I, Jason Malki, had the pleasure of interviewing Michael Plummer, Jr., the President and CEO of Our Town America. A U.S. Army veteran and Certified Franchise Executive (CFE), he has more than 20 years of experience working as a senior-level franchise executive and IT professional in the direct marketing industry. For more than 45 years, Our Town America has been providing new movers with traditional hospitality by mailing warm housewarming gifts from local neighborhood businesses in a premium welcome package. Thank you for joining us Michael! More than half of the US workforce is unhappy. Why do you think that number is so high? I believe that more than half of the U.S. workforce is unhappy because the majority of Americans aren’t living out their dream career. Life can take many unexpected turns, and employees may find themselves in a different role or even different industry than they truly desire. As a result, employees can feel unsatisfied or unfulfilled by their careers. Additionally, I think employees often feel ignored and unappreciated. As a leader in my company, I try to make a point to lead by example, go the extra mile and always make sure my employees feel acknowledged and appreciated. Based on your experience or research, how do you think an unhappy workforce will impact a) company productivity b) company profitability c) and employee health and well being? An unhappy employee can drastically affect the morale of the entire office. Their dissatisfaction and unease can be contagious to those around them. This general drop in mood will inevitably impact productivity as employees feel less motivated to get their work done. As productivity slows, company profitability will plunge. Can you share 5 things that managers and executives should be doing to improve their company work culture? Can you give a personal story or example for each? Care — At Our Town America, we care greatly about the well being of our employees. We want to be there for our employees for major life events — the passing or sickness of a family member, a birth or a major operation — and offer support any way we can. Communicate — We like to keep the lines of communication open and encourage employee feedback. I love to hear what we are doing right and what needs improvement. Boost Morale — We like to do catered lunches for our staff and encourage them to eat together. We also like to coordinate fun activities to liven things up every now and then. Team Building — It is very important for our team to work together to accomplish goals. I like to encourage team bonding through fun out-of-work team experiences like go-karting, top golf or arcades. Stay True to Core Values — Finally, we started as a family business, and as we’ve grown, we’ve kept those original values. We are committed to ensuring our employees are happy and healthy, and our customers receive the best possible service. It’s very nice to suggest ideas, but it seems like we have to “change the culture regarding work culture”. What can we do as a society to make a broader change in the US workforce’s work culture? Big change starts small. A broader change in the culture regarding work culture can start in your office. I like to lead by example and mentor my employees to nurture a positive work culture. Not everyone will be eager to embrace the change, but those that do can make a difference, even if it’s slowly. Change can take time. How would you describe your leadership or management style? Can you give us a few examples? I prefer to lead through mentorship. I explain the goal and help find a solution, but I encourage the individual to accomplish the task themselves. Many times, I’ve been surprised and impressed by the creative solutions my employees propose. It’s very rewarding to watch my employees take on new challenges successfully. Additionally, I do not believe in micro-managing. It’s unrealistic to expect an employee to grow and learn if you do everything for them. None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that? I have been very fortunate to have many amazing people surrounding me, but one of my biggest supporters was my father, our founder. He was my best friend up until the day he died. Growing up, he taught me to always try to do the right thing for the right reasons; don’t be tempted by an easier path, but instead, keep your eye on the long-term goal. His mentorship helped me become the business leader I am today, and I am incredibly grateful. How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? At Our Town America, we do it every day, one mover at a time. We are all about building relationships. We regularly reach out to our clients in need, like during recent hurricanes, snowstorms and floods to see how we can help. Through the nature of our business as a new mover marketing franchise, we have a connection to hundreds of communities across the country. When a community is in need, we turn out in force. We have volunteered at food pantries and collected donations for the holidays. We know the importance of community and practice what we preach in a very tangible way. Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life? “Show me your friends; I will show you your future.” I love this quote because in life, as in business, so often your success is linked to the relationships you have built. It is incredibly important to surround yourself with driven individuals who will challenge you and push you to be your best. When we […]

How to Create Meaningful Offers that Spark Long-Term, Loyal Customer Relationships

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Restaurant Marketing Our Town America

Restaurant Owners – How To Create Offers & Loyal Customers Modern Restaurant Magazine (September 2019) — It’s a sad fact of being a restaurant owner: even if your food and service are excellent, and a first-time customer had a wonderful experience, it may still be a while before he or she comes through your doors again. After all, customers have choices. Lots of them. It can be especially difficult for a restaurant owner to turn new customers into loyal ones if those people are new to the area. New residents often sample a variety of restaurants before choosing their favorite spots. That’s why it’s important to do more than offer incredible food and focus on creating a great first impression. Obviously, those things are important, but it’s vital to create a relationship with that customer. To begin building what will hopefully be a long-term relationship, you often have to offer an incentive — special offers or some kind of deal. While some people find a place that they like and aren’t interested in experimenting with other restaurants, many customers are understandably curious about what’s around the corner. They don’t want to miss out! While you could accept that fact, the danger is that customer may decide not to return. People do like to experiment, but they’re also creatures of habit. If your customers find a new favorite pizza place instead of yours, or a new French restaurant they adore instead of yours, or a new beloved burger joint instead of yours, and so on, you could be relegated to one of those “we’ll go there because we haven’t been there in forever” eateries. That’s better than nothing, but obviously, you want more regulars than semi-regulars. So how do you do that? Incentivize those new customers. Offer Restaurant Discounts Based on Age This is a classic; I’m not telling you anything that you haven’t heard before, so just consider it a friendly reminder. You might want to offer a “kids eat free” or “kids eat for half-off” type of deal. If parents know that every time they come to your place — even if it’s just on a particular day — they’re going to shave a bit off their bill, that may encourage them to visit more often instead of going elsewhere. Just make sure your discount is well promoted. Promote Dining Specials Based on the Day or Time of Day Dynamic pricing at work. Bars have their happy hour, not just because it makes customers happy, but it makes bar owners happy to see customers coming in earlier, at a typically less-busy time. If you often see a lull on Monday nights, offer an awesome Monday-night special that your customers will have trouble refusing. Again, make sure this is well promoted, so customers coming on, say, Friday, will be reminded about what they can have when they come in on Mondays. Market Restaurant Discounts to People who just Moved into Town Granted, this is my wheelhouse, since my company markets to new movers, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention it. If you aim your marketing at residents who are new to the community, and you can get them in the door, it’s extremely important to offer them more deals so that they return. That might involve sending them home with an added incentive to return (half-off your next appetizer!) as they leave — or using a service that will send them a thank you note for coming paired with another special offer for when they return. The new movers are the people in your community who haven’t picked out any favorite restaurants yet. You could be their first. Dining Loyalty Programs This is an obvious idea. But I bring it up because it would feel silly not to. If you haven’t developed a discount program for your most loyal customers yet, it’s definitely something to think about. Restaurant Incentives – Theme Days Your customers aren’t just people who like food. They’re dog lovers. They’re sports fans. They’re marathon runners. Maybe some of them are birdwatchers. Depending on your restaurant, you could have days where anyone dressed as a TV character or their favorite superhero gets a 25 percent discount. Or hold a singles night and see who shows up. Or — if you won’t be breaking health codes — invite your pet parents to bring their dogs. Not every interest is going to be worth catering to, or practical, but if it’s conducive to your dining establishment, you could host book clubs in the off-hours, where people gather for a drink and appetizers. The point is — your customers are more than just anonymous people receiving a delivery, sitting at a table or standing at a counter, ready to pick up their food. They have interests. They also have challenges, ranging from time-management to finances and everything in between. If you can remember that and cater to their personality or situation as much as you do their taste buds, you’re going to make a much stronger connection — the first step to building that oh-so-important relationship. You may have to do that with some clever incentives, but getting your customers to come through the door (and keep them coming back!) is the ultimate goal. Because another fact of being a restaurant owner is that you need your customers more than they need you. That is, until the relationship is no longer one-sided. That’s the day when your hungry and time-starved customer realizes that he or she needs your restaurant’s help more than they thought. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]